Usage Rules

Usage rules are the client-defined rules that evaluate usage events and rates the events to produce a price for active subscription services. Usage Rules are applied to subscription and Add-On products to evaluate usage events based on the determined allowance and rate. They detect a condition within a usage event and evaluate whether this condition is met. The rate is applied only if the consumed usage matches the associated usage rule.

Rating occurs when usage rules detect a condition within a usage event and evaluate whether that condition is true or false. If the condition is evaluated as TRUE, an action occurs that could lead to a customer charge. If the condition is evaluated as FALSE, no action is taken and the event that is being evaluated passes to the next usage rule for evaluation.

Multiple usage rules can be used together but must be in a hierarchical order. The customized usage rules and the order in which they are listed make up the Rate Plan.

Gotransverse includes three types of usage rules:

Refer to Configure Product Activity Charge Rules in the Products section of the user guide for more information on working with these usage rules.

• Global Usage Rules — A global usage rule is a multidimensional usage rule that uses lookup tables, rate tables, and multiple calculations defined within a spreadsheet to act as a rating engine. A global usage rule is defined independently and then referenced by a product or service. Refer to these topics for more information about working with global usage rules:

  • Spreadsheet Template for Global Usage Rules

  • Global Usage Rule Examples

• Formula Usage Rules — A usage rule that uses simple formulas and can reference lookup tables and rate tables for rating usage events. A formula usage rule is defined under the pricing of a specific product or service.

• Match All Events Usage Rules — A usage rule that uses simple formulas and can reference rate tables for rating usage events. A match-all usage rule is defined under the pricing of a specific product or service.

Usage rules are created and managed in the Rating & Billing, Customer Billing , Product Catalog, and Products applications.

Usage rules can be defined for a product, service, or order item:

• Product Usage Rules — Add usage rules to a product price in the product catalog. When that product is ordered, the usage rules defined by the product price will carry forward to the service. Refer to Create Usage Rule for Product’s Recurring Price if creating or working with a product in the Product Catalog application or Configure Product Activity Charge Rules if creating or working with a product in the Products application.

• Service Usage Rules — Add or edit the usage rules of a service. This option is only available when Rule Override option is enabled on the service that was ordered. Refer to Create Usage Rule on Recurring Service if working with a service in the Customer Billing application or Configure Product Activity Charge Rules if creating or working with a service in the Products application.

• Order Item Usage Rules — Add or edit the usage rules of an order item during the order process. When the order is place, the usage rules defined during the order process will carry forward to the service. This option is only available when Rule Override option is enabled on the product that was ordered. Refer to Usage Rules Configuration if creating or working with an order in the Customer Billing application or Create New Order if creating or working with an order in the Accounts application.